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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. current — electric
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. deal — to handle
  5. suit — to fit
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stock — shares
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pit — a hole
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. current — happening now
  15. suit — in cards
  16. current — of water
  17. stock — goods
  18. firm — steady
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. content — the amount
  21. firm — decided
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. content — happy
  24. pit — in a race

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com